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Local, Sustainable Eating Isn't A Fad: Bryant Terry In The New Scion Ad

Chef and health speakerBryant Terry is passionate about food. Considering the Scion iQ's tag line says it's a vehicle "made for people who are driven to follow their passions," it's no wonder the car company chose Terry as the face of their new campaign. In the new ad, Terry is seen popping in and out of farmer's markets and gardens, signing copies of his critically-acclaimed cookbooks, and giving live presentations. All while using the pint-sized vehicle to get from stop to stop. These activities aren't just something he filmed for the commercial spot, though—Terry has been dedicated to building a more sustainable and just food system for the past decade.

People think that local, sustainable eating is a passing fad, Terry says in the short documentary Healthy Mission. But the food justice activist explains that his grandparents have been eating that way for decades. In the film (which is an accompaniment to the commercial) we see that promoting the value of eating fresh, local food isn't just part of Terry's day job. He lives and breathes sustainable eating. That's why his yard is predominantly taken up by a garden where we grows most of his own meals. "We don't need grass," he jokes, "we need food!"

Terry wants everyone to have that same access to healthy, nutritious food. That's why he started working with young people in New York many years ago. "I was deeply concerned that many communities simply didn't have access to healthy, affordable, fresh food," he says in Healthy Mission. "I wanted to really help them think about what they were eating, where their food came from, [and] how it's affecting their personal health and well-being." Not only that, but he wants people to know that eating well can—and should—taste good. Terry is currently in the midst of cooking up another book (due out in 2014) and was recently inducted in the prestigious American Chef Corps. There's never a dull moment in his interactive talks, either, where Terry sings, cooks, and shares his vision for how we can eat better individually—and bring that opportunity to people all over the world.